


Childish

by Ellenar_Ride



Series: Mending Links [16]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Mending Links 'Verse, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:02:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24512014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellenar_Ride/pseuds/Ellenar_Ride
Summary: Ages isn’t a warrior. He’s a swordsman and a soldier, and he fights because people need saving and monsters need killing. In times of peace, he trains because he knows war will come again and he needs to keep his skills sharp. There is little Ages hates more than the knowledge that he is capable of ending a life in seventy-three different ways with just the contents of his pockets and his own two hands.(Prompt: Truth or Dare)
Series: Mending Links [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1545610
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Childish

_Truth or dare, Wander?_

Ages bites his tongue, forcing his brain to focus on the fence beam digging into his back instead his family’s merriment. Truth or dare? Really? Could they _be_ more immature?

_Truth, I suppose?_

They’re supposed to be heroes. Warriors. _Soldiers._

_Uh… who’s your best friend?_

But that’s the problem, isn’t it? They’re all _heroes,_ and some of them are _warriors,_ but none of them are _soldiers._ Tribal is the closest, but even she has too much warrior in her. When there is no enemy to fight, she trains because she loves the feel of her weapons in hand, revels in the familiar motions. She fights because she loves it, though her own desire is subordinate to the need of others.

_Actually, I don't have one._

Ages isn’t a warrior. He’s a swordsman and a soldier, and he fights because people need saving and monsters need killing. In times of peace, he trains because he knows war will come again and he needs to keep his skills sharp. There is little Ages hates more than the knowledge that he is capable of ending a life in seventy-three different ways with just the contents of his pockets and his own two hands.

_How can you not have a best friend?!_

Ages flinches at the commotion stirring up by the campfire. It’s all so _childish!_ His siblings’ carefree fun rips open a barely-closed wound in his soul, and it is force of will alone that prevents him from crying out in anguish.

_Now now, Way, you’ve already had your turn. Let Wander take his now, alright?_

Ages clenches his jaw and does not let himself turn. He’d recognized Major at once, what with that mask on his hip, but it seems Ages himself is not so memorable.

_Aww… fine. Your turn then, Wander._

Or maybe it’s not that Major didn’t _recognize_ him, Ages muses. Maybe it’s that Major sees no need to _acknowledge_ him, or how close they used to be, or how many years they spent practically attached at the hip. The thought drives a new spike of pain through his chest and he can no longer hold back his tears. They drip silently down his cheeks as his shoulders shake—there’s no need to draw attention to himself when he’s in this sort of state.

_Hmm… Sav, truth or dare?_

The thought makes an uncomfortable amount of sense, Ages hates to admit. After all, Major is a grown man now, the oldest and strongest of them all. He doesn’t need Ages to protect him anymore. Doesn’t need Captain to carry him around on his back, hover over him like a hawk when strangers are in the room, growl and glower at everyone who gets too close. Doesn’t need Scarf to tease him when he’s feeling down, ruffle his hair when he feels so alone it aches, scold him when restlessness and anxiety leave him so off-balance up seems like down and recklessness seems to be reasonable. Doesn’t need Big Bro to comfort him when he wakes up screaming that the moon is falling, hold him as he cries for a Zora who died in his arms four hundred times, coax him to put name to his feelings on paper when he misses Malon so much he can’t breathe. Ages is no longer necessary.

_Oh, I’ll take a truth. I’m a little too buried to get up for a dare._

Okay. _Okay._ Major doesn’t want Ages in his life anymore. Doesn’t even want to acknowledge Ages was _ever_ a part of his life. Ages can handle that, even if it feels like carving his heart from his chest with a rusty knife. He tucks his face into his knees, tightening his jaw to keep silent. (He’s never longed for a crushing hug from his caretaker more than right this instant. She always knows how to make him feel better, even when he hasn’t properly been in her care for five years.)

A broad, calloused hand lands on Ages’ shoulder and reality shatters.

“Are you alright, Ages?” Major asks, and when had he left the group by the fire?

It takes three tries to get a broken _I’m fine_ past his too-tight chest and his face is still in his knees. If Major cares at all, he won’t accept the lie—but he doesn’t care, that’s the whole problem, and Ages’ breath catches entirely against his will.

Major sighs and sits down next to him. “You’re not. I should have talked to you sooner. You recognized me at the very start, I saw it in your eyes.”

Ages’ chest burns and he realizes he’s not breathing. He doesn’t want to hear it. Can’t stand to have Major’s voice echoing in his skull, denouncing him for all eternity. _It’s okay,_ he manages to say, still not lifting his head. _I know you don’t need me anymore._

Major puts an arm around Ages’ shaking shoulder and pulls the smaller Link against his side, a reversal of the action Ages had taken so often when the smidge was upset (when the smidge was still a smidge instead of this broad-shouldered man). “I avoided speaking with you because I’m a coward, Scarf. Not because of any failing on your part, or because I’m older than you now. I didn’t think I had the right to approach you after I abandoned you.”

… That was all? They’d gotten so upset about _this?_ Impa was right, neither of them knew how to communicate. Ages leans his head against Major’s shoulder. “I never blamed you for going home.”

“Maybe you should have!” Major shouts. Up by the campfire, the group goes quiet, their game put on hold. “I left you alone on a field full of corpses!”

They’re back on familiar ground now, and Ages couldn’t stop his smile if he tried. “You were a kid. Kids make stupid choices sometimes. Now stop putting words in my mouth and remind me how this game works, will you?”

**Author's Note:**

> No Sav in this one. There just wasn't space, I had too much I wanted to do with Ages and Major because oh my gosh I've read too many fics re: those two's relationship and I have Emotions. Other ideas I wanted to address but didn't have space for:
> 
>   * Ages doesn't actually know how most games work, because he grew up in a government-funded children's ward that expected the residents to grow up to be soldiers and raised them accordingly. Major was the one who taught him the handful of games he _does_ know.
>   * Major ended up in Ages' Hyrule _immediately_ after Termina, and he was _not_ happy to be denied his return to Lon-Lon Ranch.
>   * Ages used to carry Major on his back _literally everywhere_ outside of camp, including in the middle of combat.
>   * Ages' primary method of punishing Major when he was being a brat (a frequent occurrence as a child) was taking away his sword for a while. When Major got the sword back, he would act like a little kid given their favorite toy. Ages forever denies finding his excitement adorable.
> 



End file.
